Air-conditioning drain line sanitation device and system

Abstract

An air-conditioning drain line sanitation system includes: an air-conditioning unit with a drain emission connector; a drain line; and an air-conditioning drain line sanitation device, including a line fitting with a connector pipe segment and a container connector, and a container assembly, including a sealing plate with at least one sealing aperture, a sealing ring, and a container body with a sanitation composition, such that the air-conditioning drain line sanitation device mixes condensate fluid emitted from the drain emission connector with the sanitation composition, such that the sanitation composition sanitizes the condensate fluid and the drain line, whereby a risk of clogging the drain line is reduced.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air-conditioning drain line sanitation system, comprising:
 a) an air-conditioning unit, comprising a drain emission connector, such that the drain emission connector is configured to emit a condensate fluid from the air-conditioning unit during operation of the air-conditioning unit;   b) a drain line, which is configured with a hollow interior to allow the condensate fluid to flow away from the air-conditioning unit via the drain line; and   c) an air-conditioning drain line sanitation device, which comprises a container body, which comprises a sanitation composition, wherein the container body is configured to be detachable;   wherein the air-conditioning drain line sanitation device is connected between an outer end of the drain emission connector and a first end of the drain line to create a fluid connection between the drain emission connector and the drain line; wherein the air-conditioning drain line sanitation device is configured to mix the condensate fluid emitted from the drain emission connector with the sanitation composition, such that the sanitation composition sanitizes the condensate fluid and the drain line, whereby a risk of clogging the drain line is reduced.   
     
     
         2 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the air-conditioning drain line sanitation device further comprises a line fitting, comprising:
 a) a connector pipe segment, comprising inner and outer ends, and a connector aperture in a bottom side of the connector pipe segment; and   b) a container connector, which is connected to the bottom side of the connector pipe segment, around the connector aperture;   wherein the container body is removably attached to the container connector, such that an interior of the container body is in fluid contact with the connector pipe segment via the connector aperture.   
     
     
         3 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 2 , wherein the container body further comprises: an upper opening and the interior that is accessible via the upper opening;
 such that an upper end of the container body is configured to detachably connect to a lower end of the container connector to create a tight lock;   such that the condensate fluid flows via the upper opening into the interior, such that the condensate fluid mixes with the sanitation composition;   whereby a flow of condensate fluid past the connector aperture in the connector pipe segment causes the condensate fluid mixed with the sanitation composition to flow back into the connector pipe segment and subsequently into the drain line.   
     
     
         4 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 3 , wherein the upper end of the container body is configured with a line connector, which is configured to detachably connect with a lower end of the container connector. 
     
     
         5 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 4 , wherein the line connector is a snap-lock connector, comprising snap lock tabs. 
     
     
         6 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 4 , wherein the line connector is a threaded connector, comprising threading. 
     
     
         7 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 3 , further comprising a container assembly, which comprises:
 the container body; and   a sealing plate, which is positioned on a top of the container body, such that the sealing plate comprises at least one sealing aperture, to allow the condensate fluid to flow via the at least one sealing aperture into the interior;   wherein the sealing plate is permanently connected to the container body.   
     
     
         8 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 7 , wherein the sealing plate is sonic welded to the container body. 
     
     
         9 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 7 , wherein the container body is configured with an inside ledge on an inner side of an upper rim of the container body, such that the sealing plate rests on the inside ledge, such that an upper surface of the sealing plate is flush with an upper surface of the upper rim of the container body. 
     
     
         10 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 7 , wherein the container assembly further comprises:
 a sealing ring, which is positioned between the sealing plate and the container connector.   
     
     
         11 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one sealing aperture of the sealing plate comprises:
 a central aperture configured with a cross-diagonal bar;
 wherein the air-conditioning drain line sanitation device further comprises:
 a dissolvable bag, which is positioned in the interior of the container body, wherein the dissolvable bag is configured to be dissolvable by the condensate fluid, wherein the dissolvable bag comprises the sanitation composition; 
 
 such that the cross-diagonal bar prevents removal of the dissolvable bag with the sanitation composition from the container body. 
   
     
     
         12 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 7 , wherein the container assembly further comprises:
 a sealing ring, which is positioned between the sealing plate and the container connector;   wherein the sealing plate comprises:
 a disc-shaped peripheral member, which comprises:
 a central aperture, wherein the at least one sealing aperture comprises the central aperture; 
 
   wherein the sealing ring is disc-shaped, such that the sealing ring is positioned on a top of the disc-shaped peripheral member.   
     
     
         13 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 12 , wherein the disc-shaped peripheral member is further configured with:
 a plurality of sealing apertures, such that the sealing apertures aid in detachment of the container body from the container connector, by reducing a suction effect between the sealing ring and the disc-shaped peripheral member.   
     
     
         14 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 13 , wherein the sealing apertures each have a diameter in a range of 0.5 to 10 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the container body is made of a transparent material. 
     
     
         16 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 3 , wherein the line fitting and the container body are made of a transparent material. 
     
     
         17 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the sanitation composition is water soluble and comprises a disinfectant agent. 
     
     
         18 . The air-conditioning drain line sanitation system of  claim 17 , wherein the sanitation composition is a powder. 
     
     
         19 . A drain line sanitation system, comprising:
 a drain line sanitation device, which comprises a container body, which comprises a sanitation composition, wherein the container body is configured to be detachable;   wherein the drain line sanitation device is configured to connect between an outer end of a drain emission connector and a first end of a drain line to create a fluid connection between the drain emission connector and the drain line;   wherein the drain line sanitation device is configured to mix a condensate fluid emitted from the drain emission connector with the sanitation composition, such that the sanitation composition sanitizes the condensate fluid and the drain line, whereby a risk of clogging the drain line is reduced.   
     
     
         20 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 19 , wherein the drain line sanitation device further comprises a line fitting, comprising:
 a) a connector pipe segment, comprising inner and outer ends, and a connector aperture in a bottom side of the connector pipe segment; and   b) a container connector, which is connected to the bottom side of the connector pipe segment, around the connector aperture;   wherein the container body is removably attached to the container connector, such that an interior of the container body is in fluid contact with the connector pipe segment via the connector aperture.   
     
     
         21 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 20 , wherein the container body further comprises: an upper opening and the interior that is accessible via the upper opening;
 such that an upper end of the container body is configured to detachably connect to a lower end of the container connector to create a tight lock;   such that the condensate fluid flows via the upper opening into the interior, such that the condensate fluid mixes with the sanitation composition;   whereby a flow of condensate fluid past the connector aperture in the connector pipe segment causes the condensate fluid mixed with the sanitation composition to flow back into the connector pipe segment and subsequently into the drain line.   
     
     
         22 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 21 , further comprising a container assembly, which comprises:
 the container body; and   a sealing plate, which is positioned on a top of the container body, such that the sealing plate comprises at least one sealing aperture, to allow the condensate fluid to flow via the at least one sealing aperture into the interior;   wherein the sealing plate is permanently connected to the container body.   
     
     
         23 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the container body is configured with an inside ledge on an inner side of an upper rim of the container body, such that the sealing plate rests on the inside ledge, such that an upper surface of the sealing plate is flush with an upper surface of the upper rim of the container body. 
     
     
         24 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the container assembly further comprises:
 a sealing ring, which is positioned between the sealing plate and the container connector.   
     
     
         25 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one sealing aperture of the sealing plate comprises:
 a central aperture configured with a cross-diagonal bar;
 wherein the drain line sanitation device further comprises:
 a dissolvable bag, which is positioned in the interior of the container body, wherein the dissolvable bag is configured to be dissolvable by the condensate fluid, wherein the dissolvable bag comprises the sanitation composition; 
 
 such that the cross-diagonal bar prevents removal of the dissolvable bag with the sanitation composition from the container body. 
   
     
     
         26 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 24 , wherein the sealing plate comprises:
 a disc-shaped peripheral member, which comprises:
 a central aperture, wherein the at least one sealing aperture comprises the central aperture; 
   wherein the sealing ring is disc-shaped, such that the sealing ring is positioned on a top of the disc-shaped peripheral member.   
     
     
         27 . The drain line sanitation system of  claim 26 , wherein the disc-shaped peripheral member is further configured with:
 a plurality of sealing apertures, such that the sealing apertures aid in detachment of the container body from the container connector, by reducing a suction effect between the sealing ring and the disc-shaped peripheral member.